The solution of Kashmir imbroglio is accessible provided all parties are committed to resolve the dispute. Both New Delhi and Islamabad have been doing a lot apparently in this regard but their efforts have not yielded concrete results.
The fact is quite clear both the countries dont want to solve this issue...coz of various reasons ...if india goes for right of self determination they'll definitely loose the kashmir...while on the other hand pakistan shows some interest at times especially during General Musharafs time but they also fear of loosing their part of kashmir...though they have a slight edge over india as people may opt for pakistan but india is definitely gonna loose if the right of self determination takes place ....the changes in the peoples choice majorly from IOK have been disastour for pakistan ...till very recently people of indian held kashmir were keen on joining pakistan...but now most of the people want and independent kashmir....fearing this both countries are playing clearly unfair game with the poor kashmiris ....on one hand pakistan encourages terrorism and keeps on sending foreign mercenaries ..just to keep this battle going so that they dont have to loose their share of the cake...and india time and again is involved in state terrorism ...by killing innocents ....by fake encounters ....fake infiltration bids...indian army and indian agencies are majorly involved in IED blasts and grenade throwing into busy streets....this act is purely by indian army as they want to present the struggle of freedom as global terrorism to international community...
The last few years have witnessed a tremendous improvement in the relationship between the two nations. However, when Kashmir, which is a bone of contention between India and Pakistan, comes for discussion the atmosphere of hope turns into despair and both the countries are unable to come to a joint agreement. Both the nations must know that the good relations will last long only when the made-complex issue of Kashmir is resolved, otherwise such Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) will turn out to be fruitless only.
India and Pakistan are so allergic to each other that they are not going to accept any solution proposed by either of the two. Musharraf's proposals of 'demilitarization' and 'self-rule' was turned down by India without considering them worthy of giving a serious thought. In such a hostile and hopeless situation, the solution of Kashmir crises looks very much elusive. It is very pathetic on part of the Indian leaders not to come up with any proposal. If they don't like the proposal put forth by Musharraf why they don't then come up with their own proposal? This clearly shows that india has never been sincere to the issue....the recent uprising has clearly shaken india when their own media . their intellectual class. their civil society has started condemning the role of india and indian forces in kashmir ...fearing this india has blocked media ...put a ban of sms services ...and indefinite curfew....moreover they are picking innocents and taking them to borders and killing them and indian media reports proudly about "one more infiltration bid foiled" or the same indian army some how kills couple of its own soldiers and blames pakistan for LOC and cease fire violation.....this shameful act is only to divert the attention of people and international community and media so that the voice of peaceful of protests does not reach anywhere .....
Thses steps come at a time when noted and award winning journalists have raised a voice for the solution of kashmir issue ....
when booker prize winner arudhati roy ...writes "india needs azaadi from kashmir as much kashmir needs azaadi from india"
when vir sanghvi writes " its time to think unthinkable"
when sagarika ghose highlights the issue in her article " chaos theory in hindu cosmos"
rashmi sehgal writes " i am an india and i apologise to the people of kashmir"
and lots more
when a poll conducted by cnn ibn show taht 59% of common indians say kashmir should be given AZAADI..
when prem shankar jha and mr iyer speaks about kashmir should be soved...and most importantly omer abdullah chairman of national conference and member parliment ...who clearly knows he and his father ex cm farooq abdullah is a big zero without new delhi's support who clearly..says people of kashmir want azaadi and it should be debated.....
The history bears testimony to the fact that India and Pakistan can't reach any solution and the measures they take are only to make an impression in the international stage that Kashmir is being 'seriously' discussed. In fact, both the countries are merely killing time and the status quo will mean that Kashmir crises will continue unabated. and they will carry on with their part of cake....
Pragmatically, there seems to be only one way out to put an end to nearly 60 years of mayhem in Kashmir: free and impartial plebiscite under the aegis of the United Nation as per the UN Resolution, with the inclusion of a third option, Independence, just to update the 'old' Resolution. [ Though i am lil afraid here as UN is more of US than UN]Let the people of Kashmir decide about their future. The UN Resolution can peacefully and permanently solve the Kashmir dispute. After all, it was responsible to permanently solve the dispute in South Africa and Angola. Ironically, one of the so called largest democracies in the world, India, has refrained from granting the right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir, which happens to be their democratic right. [here i wud like to add this largest democracy is nothing but something like this: since the form of government in india is so called democratic its believed to be democratic...and largest prefix is only b'coz of its larger population]to know the facts about this largest demon-crazy ppl shud actually ask people of kashmir...north-east...naxal hit areas ...minorities in gujrat ..orrisa...meerut...uttar pardesh..mumbai...and moist hit areas....and further more this demon-crazy gets exposed when you come across hindu fanatic orgonisations like VHP-RSS-BAJRANG DAL-SHIV SENA and hundreds more ...they can destroy babri masjid and kill people..they can go on rampange and kill more than 3000 muslims in gujrat...they can set ablaze a christian missionary in orrisa along with his 2 kids ....and just the other day they burned a nun alive and set an orphange on fire in orrisa...and millions of similar incidents yet they wont be banned or labbeled terrorist orgonisations..and this sickular and demon-crazy country will award and reward these orgonisations for their social work..JAI SICKULARISM
The referendum should be held in two different phases:
Phase one: Independence or Union
Phase two: Union with India or Pakistan
(The second phase will come in effect only when the majority of the Kashmir population vote against Independence in the first phase).
Here are various measures which need to be taken to ensure free and impartial plebiscite:
i) Complete cease-fire: The two countries should announce the complete cease-fire along the Line of Control (LOC) to ensure that there is no untoward incident
ii) Demilitarization: After the cease-fire is ensured, India should call back its troops from Indian Administered Kashmir (IAK) and, simultaneously, Pakistan, too, should follow the suit by calling back its troops from Pakistan Adminis-tered Kashmir (PAK).
the borders with china can be collectively take care off for time being...
iii)The observers of the United Nation should remain in Kashmir and should keep a close vigil on the scheme of things, and when the situation becomes conducive, the observers should go for referendum. Since, people of Kashmir do not want the solution of Kashmir on ethnic or religious basis, therefore, the Pandits who left Kashmir in one of the most unfortunate incident in the history of Kashmir should be called back as an integral part of Kashmir's culture and identity, they too would decide the future of Kashmir along with their Muslim brethren....
after lengthy discussons on internet and person to person....lots of people have asked me questions like how will kashmir survive independently......... Kashmir can survive as an independent entity. If the people of Kashmir decide to be Independent, both India and Pakistan have to guarantee its Independence. For a start, Kashmir would not have its own currency but the currency of both India and Pakistan would be accepted as legal tender money. Kashmir, as an independent state, would have a free trade with both India and Pakistan and both the countries would invest in its economy. It is an admitted fact that only fruit and tourism industry, if properly managed, are enough to keep the economy of Kashmir afloat. however kashmir can further more develo its power sector,agriculture,floriculture,sericulture,horticultre,arts and crafts ..etc and further more education sector and medical sector once there is economic annd political stablity at its best...since the conditions and climate is very favourable for the last two sectors mentioned...
REGARDING the safety of borders both the countries can collectively take care of independent kashmir borders along with a newly formed kashmir army.till the we form our won strong army..since they've been crushing us for six decades now..this is the time when they can act as our elder brothers and it will help in reducing the level of haterd
However, the onus is on the United Nation to finally show its existence and play the role to resolve the Kashmir dispute. In the world of globalization no country would like to be engaged in war or constant dispute. Similar is the case with India and Pakistan.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
KASHMIRIYAT?
whenever i think of two nation theory ...i just fail to understand...why shud kashmir be merged with pak or india after self determination.......why was this self determination funda applied ....ofcorse it was the need of the hour.....but somehow i fail to understand how can any one advocate for the merger especially to pakistan....which i some how still cant accept as a nation......pakistan is just a geographical location which was given to muslims at the time of ugly partition of india in 1947.......
is pakistan a nation?
whats the history of pakistan? do they have a rich history?
while on other hand kashmir [POK+IOK+POGB+AKSAI CHIN] has a rich history of more than 5000 years ......the pre partition kashmir as a nation consists of multi cultures ..multi ethnicities....multi religious...and multi lingual and most importantly....a secular nation....apart from the pandit exodus ....for which i've given my reasons in teh below post....ii feel we teh combined parts of kashmir region can simply rock as a nation....our dtrategic location.....our accessiblity to central asia and china...and what not?
Identity and acknowledgment are important to all human beings, e Identity plays a crucial role in peoples lives and has immense value. Identity matters in social, political and economic contexts, and determine our roles as to who we are and how we relate to other people in society and in the world at large.
Identity could be of two kinds: individual and collective; and both of these are very important. As an individual one can have identity as a male or female. One can also have identity as a writer, teacher, student, actor, engineer, labourer etc. Apart from that one can also have collective identity, for example, being a member of a tribe, ethnic group, region, nation, religion, group etc.
identity for the Kashmiri people, of course, I mean collective identity. In Kashmir (State of Jammu and Kashmir) And when we Kashmiri nationalists promote Kashmiri identity as a separate nation we tend to annoy powerful and aggressive forces which one way or the other control and determine our future.
the topic kashmiriyat
and all these topics are pro people and are highlighted to promote the Kashmiri interest. And by promoting the Kashmiri interest if I annoy some people its price worth paying; and it also means what I write is noticed somewhere. Furthermore it indicates that I am on the right track, and I should not change my course just because of opposition of some people with vested interest.
Identity, in view of some scholars, is self awareness, which means explicit understanding that one exists as a separate being; but at the same time having collective identity- being part of a group, tribe or a nation. The term ‘identity negotiation’ explains about a process in which individuals negotiate the meaning of their identity and their place in a society. Psychologists generally use the notion of identity to describe ‘personal identity’, but Sociologists on the other hand use the term to describe ‘social identity’ to describe group membership....
this identity crisis ..concept struck me lots of times when i was chatting on internet as generaly ppl ask ASL....which means age sex location.......age and sex never created any confusions in my mind....but location always ......i always use to think twice before writing about my place ....what shud i write ? india or kashmir?and most of the times i got hurt while opening an email account....or filling a form on internet ...i cudnt find my nation kashmir in teh country list....adding salt to this chaos...are my friends and family members who work and live in different parts of world....when ever i discuss with them ..they'll always say kashmiris are reffered to as indians or pakistanis...be it in britian...america or elsewhere ....
one of my british friends once said it is important that we are recognised as a separate ethnic group that we become visible in Britain. At present we are taken as Pakistanis (or Indians in case of a few hundred families who have come from the Indian side of Kashmir). He says Britain’s Kashmiri Community mainly come from Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber districts of Azad Kashmir, and predominantly lives in deprived urban areas. It is not a political issue and we don’t want to cause any political rifts. We don’t want our campaign to become part of unprincipled politics of South Asia. To us it is an issue of equality. We want to be treated equally that we can also benefit from the state system. Kashmir National Identity Campaign is spearheading this movement, and in this noble cause some Pakistanis and Indians who believe in equality, and feel that Kashmiris should be recognised as a separate ethnic group support us.
bcoz of this opression from both pakistan and india and identity crisis
We Kashmiris are under achievers in education, employment and business; and over represented in criminal system. local governments serve the local people, and their policies in employment and housing should reflect this reality, but because we are not recognised as a separate ethnic group there are no such provisions for us, and jobs and other resources are taken up by other communities.
our struggle is for national identity of Kashmiris. We want people of Kashmir to be recognised as a separate nation- different from India and Pakistan. Our primary responsibility is to safeguard and promote Kashmiri interest; and if Kashmiris are recognised as a separate group then we can also benefit like other communities settled in Britain’america , europe etc....
all Kashmiris should start and support a campaign, as it will bring us, social, economic and political advantages.
in current scenerio when whole of mulke kashmir of yesteryears is divided on religious grounds......i dont know how we can achieve it....the hindus and sikhs of kashmir are com-pletely in favour of accessio to inida..and some muslims are in favour of accession to pak......ladakhis again divided on religious grounds again.......
where did we go wrong ?is the dream of mulke kashmeer over .....is our movement for a free kashmir only for few parts of muslim dominated kashmir......y cant majority of non muslims of kashmir relate emotions to kashmir the way they relate to india? i dont know whom to blame and whom not to.....but all i can say is due to our selfishness carelessness...cowardness...double standards......etc we have lost our nation and identity..........
is pakistan a nation?
whats the history of pakistan? do they have a rich history?
while on other hand kashmir [POK+IOK+POGB+AKSAI CHIN] has a rich history of more than 5000 years ......the pre partition kashmir as a nation consists of multi cultures ..multi ethnicities....multi religious...and multi lingual and most importantly....a secular nation....apart from the pandit exodus ....for which i've given my reasons in teh below post....ii feel we teh combined parts of kashmir region can simply rock as a nation....our dtrategic location.....our accessiblity to central asia and china...and what not?
Identity and acknowledgment are important to all human beings, e Identity plays a crucial role in peoples lives and has immense value. Identity matters in social, political and economic contexts, and determine our roles as to who we are and how we relate to other people in society and in the world at large.
Identity could be of two kinds: individual and collective; and both of these are very important. As an individual one can have identity as a male or female. One can also have identity as a writer, teacher, student, actor, engineer, labourer etc. Apart from that one can also have collective identity, for example, being a member of a tribe, ethnic group, region, nation, religion, group etc.
identity for the Kashmiri people, of course, I mean collective identity. In Kashmir (State of Jammu and Kashmir) And when we Kashmiri nationalists promote Kashmiri identity as a separate nation we tend to annoy powerful and aggressive forces which one way or the other control and determine our future.
the topic kashmiriyat
and all these topics are pro people and are highlighted to promote the Kashmiri interest. And by promoting the Kashmiri interest if I annoy some people its price worth paying; and it also means what I write is noticed somewhere. Furthermore it indicates that I am on the right track, and I should not change my course just because of opposition of some people with vested interest.
Identity, in view of some scholars, is self awareness, which means explicit understanding that one exists as a separate being; but at the same time having collective identity- being part of a group, tribe or a nation. The term ‘identity negotiation’ explains about a process in which individuals negotiate the meaning of their identity and their place in a society. Psychologists generally use the notion of identity to describe ‘personal identity’, but Sociologists on the other hand use the term to describe ‘social identity’ to describe group membership....
this identity crisis ..concept struck me lots of times when i was chatting on internet as generaly ppl ask ASL....which means age sex location.......age and sex never created any confusions in my mind....but location always ......i always use to think twice before writing about my place ....what shud i write ? india or kashmir?and most of the times i got hurt while opening an email account....or filling a form on internet ...i cudnt find my nation kashmir in teh country list....adding salt to this chaos...are my friends and family members who work and live in different parts of world....when ever i discuss with them ..they'll always say kashmiris are reffered to as indians or pakistanis...be it in britian...america or elsewhere ....
one of my british friends once said it is important that we are recognised as a separate ethnic group that we become visible in Britain. At present we are taken as Pakistanis (or Indians in case of a few hundred families who have come from the Indian side of Kashmir). He says Britain’s Kashmiri Community mainly come from Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber districts of Azad Kashmir, and predominantly lives in deprived urban areas. It is not a political issue and we don’t want to cause any political rifts. We don’t want our campaign to become part of unprincipled politics of South Asia. To us it is an issue of equality. We want to be treated equally that we can also benefit from the state system. Kashmir National Identity Campaign is spearheading this movement, and in this noble cause some Pakistanis and Indians who believe in equality, and feel that Kashmiris should be recognised as a separate ethnic group support us.
bcoz of this opression from both pakistan and india and identity crisis
We Kashmiris are under achievers in education, employment and business; and over represented in criminal system. local governments serve the local people, and their policies in employment and housing should reflect this reality, but because we are not recognised as a separate ethnic group there are no such provisions for us, and jobs and other resources are taken up by other communities.
our struggle is for national identity of Kashmiris. We want people of Kashmir to be recognised as a separate nation- different from India and Pakistan. Our primary responsibility is to safeguard and promote Kashmiri interest; and if Kashmiris are recognised as a separate group then we can also benefit like other communities settled in Britain’america , europe etc....
all Kashmiris should start and support a campaign, as it will bring us, social, economic and political advantages.
in current scenerio when whole of mulke kashmir of yesteryears is divided on religious grounds......i dont know how we can achieve it....the hindus and sikhs of kashmir are com-pletely in favour of accessio to inida..and some muslims are in favour of accession to pak......ladakhis again divided on religious grounds again.......
where did we go wrong ?is the dream of mulke kashmeer over .....is our movement for a free kashmir only for few parts of muslim dominated kashmir......y cant majority of non muslims of kashmir relate emotions to kashmir the way they relate to india? i dont know whom to blame and whom not to.....but all i can say is due to our selfishness carelessness...cowardness...double standards......etc we have lost our nation and identity..........
AZAADI AIK SAWAAL
ON THE FIRST DAY OF APPLE REVOLUTION . I WAS MARCHING TOWARDS MUZZAFARABAD.VERY ENTHUSIASTIC VERY EXCITED..ALL CHARGED UP ..AZAADI LOOKED JUST FEW MILES AWAY..YET I WAS DEPRESSED..TENSE AND CONFUSED ..A STRANGE QUESTION WAS HITTING MY MIND LIKE A TRACER BULLET" WHAT NEXT" WHAT IF WE CROSS OVER TO MUZZAFARABAD ..IS AZAADI ALL ABOUT CROSSING LOC...WHAT THE NEXT PLAN OF ACTION ...MERGE IN PAKISTAN...OR AN INDEPENDANT KASHMIR .....ARE WE READY FOR AZAADI?WHAT IF ARMY AND POLICE HADN'T INTERVENED AND WE WUD'VE CROSSED OVER ..WHAT WAS IN STORES FOR US...WHAT IF TOMMOROW INDIA DECIDES TO WITHDRAW..ARE WE READY FOR AZAADI..HAVE WE PLANNED HOW THINGS WILLL WORK AFTER THAT..HOW WILL THE ADMINISTRATION PROCESS GO..WHO WILL RUN IT...CAN WE SUSTAIN AS AN INDEPENDANT NATION.WHO AND HOW WILL WE LOOK AT OUR BORDERS..OR WE ARE SIMPLY WAITING FOR AN UGLY CHINESE INVASION...AZAADI CAN BE ACHIEVED BY EMOTIONS AND SACRIFICES BUT CAN WE RUN A NATION ON EMOTIONS AND SACRIFICES...NOPES I GUESS...SO WHAT SHOULD BE OUR FUTURE COURSE OF ACTION??
HAS THE TIME COME
FOR THE EDUCATED ...VISIONARY..INTELLECTUAL...AND THINK TANKS TO JOIN HURRIYAT OR SIMILAR ORGONISATIONS TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE....
GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN AZAADI LOOKED A DEAD DREAM.....ITS LOOKS PRACTICAL AND ACHIEVABLE.....NOW....SAME QUESTION AGAIN WHAT NEXT........
??????????
To draft guiding principles for is necessary.
Every person in its indiviual capacity or in capacity of a member of any social group always has got a broader outline for his future which unifies his thoughts and actions for achievement of hi/her set goals.Certainly it is upto Almighty Allah to whether such plans get executed or not but this thought should not deter any moslim by not planning.In todays environment it has become essential for sensitive and intellectual class of society to put their heads together and formulate a concept around which our thoughts and actions should revolve.
DO WE NEED A LEADER?
leader....hmm leme think ........oops no one.... we need a leader like gandhi....we need a leader who leads from the front......
no compultion for the leader to get us freedom...
but his main contribution shud be ............... to unite us....to bring the concept of nationalism and patriotism in us..........
p.s gandhi's main contribution in the freedom struggle was was unity and nationalism...
so do we have some one like him.......nopes
now what to do...........
well look for the better one in the present lot....
Need of leader
The leaders in a social group are assets of that group.However leaders are not recruited but they are churned out of struggles and need vast experience they can be illiterate/literate but they have grip on their followers and have a goal in front of them.
Leaders dream for their followers and they try to turn their dreams into realities by fullfilling their responsiblities.Leaders are not carried away by the timely tides but remain firm on their ground despite storms.In short politician follow emmotions of its vote bank while as statesman makes people to follow his ideas and concept.
..SO WHAT NEXT??
HAS THE TIME COME
FOR THE EDUCATED ...VISIONARY..INTELLECTUAL...AND THINK TANKS TO JOIN HURRIYAT OR SIMILAR ORGONISATIONS TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE....
GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN AZAADI LOOKED A DEAD DREAM.....ITS LOOKS PRACTICAL AND ACHIEVABLE.....NOW....SAME QUESTION AGAIN WHAT NEXT........
??????????
To draft guiding principles for is necessary.
Every person in its indiviual capacity or in capacity of a member of any social group always has got a broader outline for his future which unifies his thoughts and actions for achievement of hi/her set goals.Certainly it is upto Almighty Allah to whether such plans get executed or not but this thought should not deter any moslim by not planning.In todays environment it has become essential for sensitive and intellectual class of society to put their heads together and formulate a concept around which our thoughts and actions should revolve.
DO WE NEED A LEADER?
leader....hmm leme think ........oops no one.... we need a leader like gandhi....we need a leader who leads from the front......
no compultion for the leader to get us freedom...
but his main contribution shud be ............... to unite us....to bring the concept of nationalism and patriotism in us..........
p.s gandhi's main contribution in the freedom struggle was was unity and nationalism...
so do we have some one like him.......nopes
now what to do...........
well look for the better one in the present lot....
Need of leader
The leaders in a social group are assets of that group.However leaders are not recruited but they are churned out of struggles and need vast experience they can be illiterate/literate but they have grip on their followers and have a goal in front of them.
Leaders dream for their followers and they try to turn their dreams into realities by fullfilling their responsiblities.Leaders are not carried away by the timely tides but remain firm on their ground despite storms.In short politician follow emmotions of its vote bank while as statesman makes people to follow his ideas and concept.
..SO WHAT NEXT??
OTHER SIDE OF FREEDOM STRUGGLE
majority infact absolute majority are in favour of independent kashmir...i know the only problem with the movement is it was hijacked by pakistanis only to save POK....coz the movement or this freedom struggle which we are fighting today was actually started in POK against pakistan.and india ...somehow pakistan managed to blackmail ppl out there and called it a islamic movement.....the very movement kashmir struggle started it was hijacked by pro-pak militants.....but POK stopped at this point as pakistan promised them let IOK get independant v will leave POK also....this movement was actually not to support kashmir cause but to keep us busy and occupied ..so that there was no uprising in POK.....pak wanted to save thet part of kashmir .... km's were always pro paki and kp's pro india ....[again a diff arguement but lets not get into that] since we were occupied in 1947 we started developing hatered against our occupier i.e india and pOK ppl against their occupier i.e pakistan....the solgans of jeeve jeeve and kashmir banega pakistan has been the most harmful to our movement....when the local militancy was brought to zero level pak started sending mercenaries ...till that time also km's thought these mercenaries come to save them ...they are still not aware that they were actually sent to keep kashmir labelled as terrorist org.....somehow these mercenaries stuff also got over by 1998-99...now very few militants were present in valley....ours got a complete political and peoples movement ......couples of years were peaceful ..and all of a sudden army and indian agencies started massive fake encounters and fake infiltartion killings and IED diffusing and grenade throwing.....this is the time when the actual haterd against india....hatered was there earlier also...but this time people were taken by a surprise that with no militant activities in kashmir...what the hell is GOI upto....
the ppl of kashmir thought they are killing us coz we are muslims ...while as the fact is we were being killed coz they wanted to present it to world that so called terrorism is stil there in kashmir.....
by this our cause of independence ....was looked at as so called islamic terrorism...
and the common man is yet to realise this ....he happily dances and claps on the tunes of jeeve jeeve pakistan.... and kashmir banega pakistan....india also wants us to chant these slogans though they may not like it ...but it gives them a reason as pakisstan is not seen as a favourable country by international communities...
the killing of pandits was the one of the first moves of pak....and they only spread this rumour it was jagmohan ......i cannot buy that shit.....if some one here says jagmohan was responsible for pandith exodus ....does he mean to say pandits left coz of jagmohan and leter they got killed when they were physically not present in valley.....
all these orgonisations huji.. Let..etc were not present in valley...till mid 90's all militants were locals ..and some pak army men...who were introduced in kashmir as afghaan mujahideen who fought against ussr...all these pak based outfits came into picture later ...pandits were killed by local hijacked muslim militants ......though i wud not like to add muslim name with them...coz as far as my knowledge and understanding of religion goes ....no muslim can kill anybody ....unless he is fighting holy war...jehad....unfortunately in the battle of interpretation and coz of very less knowledge about islam it became jihad ...though at individual level it was jihad for some and rightly so.....
about pandit exodus......
you may disagree.....and you have evry right to....let me put it this way.....
pre 1987.....pandits and muslims have been living happily till 1987 ...though i dont know and have never heard but may be any small incident communal clash might have happened.....both the communities lived like brothers and like one family......pandits and muslim families were well mixed...compared to sikhs and muslims ...and in present day also sikhs and muslim families just say hi to each other and thats it....one of the reason can be aurangzeb - guru teg bahadur - guru gobind singh etc.....letme not get into that.....
coming back 2 pandit muslim....living like brothers as compared to hindu muslims in india ....but there was a typical "ranjish"or "khalish" between the two communities which had following reasons...
1.during muslim rulers ..pandits were not treated well..
2.during dogra and sikh rukers muslims were not treated well
3. kp's liking india and km's pak...
in 87-88 when ziaul haque then president of pakistan got killed ...muslims got violent .and protests started ..there were lil communal clashes as well more over these slogans became common....yaha kya chalega nizame mustafa ....jeeve jeeve pakistan...zialhaque ka kya paigaam ...kashmir banega pakistan......this was one of the most prominent turning points in both communities lives.....these slogans were their in kashmir earlier also ...but were used by only one political party of that time jamaate islami for their own political gains...and few more slogans were also there which clearly hurted pandit sentiments......
pandits started distancing themselves but pretended as if everything is fine.....coz of 2 reasons ....kashmiriyat which was still alive in both communities....and since they were in minority .....when uprising started and the culture of gun and violence started in kashmir...pandits didnt believe it actually.....they could by no means understand what was happening as their neighbours muslim's son ..tinku or pinku who was brought up in this pandith family ...who use to play with pandith children always ..who was taught by pandith teachers ....had a gun in his hand and shouting "bato rostai batniyo saan assi banao pakistan" and rest of the slogans ......
now let me come to y pandiths were targetted and not sikhs .....for following reasons
1.sikh's muslims were in just hello hi terms ...moreover sikhs were not an educated or intellectual class who cud've influenced muslims .sikhs were majorly in transport and logistics business...i'll come to logic of this next point
2. since pandiths and muslims were living in great relations ...inspite of that old muslim ruler-dogra ruler ranjish....majority of pandiths were highly educated ...very intellegent...and intellectuals.......muslims every now and then used to discuss problems with pandits ..coz of intellegent genes.......
3.pak ordered the killings of pandiths for 2 reasons .....had the militancy been started without pandiths killings and their exodus ....pandiths wud've definitely convinced muslims to give up and make their careers.....the second most important thing was if pandiths wud not have been able to convince muslims to give up movement at least pandit wud definitely convert into a much stronger political movement...coz of their intellegence and high influence over muslims society....here i forgot to mention muslims were not majorly into education.....they were happy with zamindaari...thekedaari...dukaan daari and darba daari ...haha ...but its a fact... which wud've meant cyanide for pakistan...so their first major move was to get pandit out of valley.... [here by no means i say pandit will support azaadi movement...but had there been no killing and exodus ...they'weu've definitely gone in favour of azaadi...as no other option wud ve been avialable] and pandits fled.....and this fact very less pandits & muslims of valley have realised till now.....
in 1994-95 pandiths from baramulla returned ...and were kept in district police lines baramulla....since police lines baramulla is in high security zone .....pandits started roaming freely....within this cannt area .....one after noon at around 5 P.M while a pandit was returning from a nearby market after some shopping....he was shot in leg ...a young boy of 23-24 types age ....shot him......this was the time when there was very lil militancy in valley ..as local militants were almost arrested killed or had surrendered......a militant coming in such high security zone and shooting the pandith at a point blank range that too just in front of district police lines ...which has RT brigade ...and MP check post on its right ...joint interrogation center and G camp on its left ....may be this mission was top priority.....the pandits comig back at this point might have resulted in either political m0vement or complete accession to india....
moreover after pandiths fled so many rumours were spread by agents in valley against kp's ....and the common man actually believed them.....
these rumours actually kept pandits and muslims apart for a longer period....and after long gap ...the new generation from both sides feels...it is either kp or km who is wrong and communal.....no-doubt km's were used and by hitting on kp's the actual loosers were and are km's and kp's as well
1..they lost their brothers ..
2.paradise turned into hell..
3...had pandits not fled we wud've been living happily ...with india or independent is immaterial here
this conclusion is not based on a perticular incident ..may be some of the pandits were informers or working with IB ...so were some muslims ...
the ppl of kashmir thought they are killing us coz we are muslims ...while as the fact is we were being killed coz they wanted to present it to world that so called terrorism is stil there in kashmir.....
by this our cause of independence ....was looked at as so called islamic terrorism...
and the common man is yet to realise this ....he happily dances and claps on the tunes of jeeve jeeve pakistan.... and kashmir banega pakistan....india also wants us to chant these slogans though they may not like it ...but it gives them a reason as pakisstan is not seen as a favourable country by international communities...
the killing of pandits was the one of the first moves of pak....and they only spread this rumour it was jagmohan ......i cannot buy that shit.....if some one here says jagmohan was responsible for pandith exodus ....does he mean to say pandits left coz of jagmohan and leter they got killed when they were physically not present in valley.....
all these orgonisations huji.. Let..etc were not present in valley...till mid 90's all militants were locals ..and some pak army men...who were introduced in kashmir as afghaan mujahideen who fought against ussr...all these pak based outfits came into picture later ...pandits were killed by local hijacked muslim militants ......though i wud not like to add muslim name with them...coz as far as my knowledge and understanding of religion goes ....no muslim can kill anybody ....unless he is fighting holy war...jehad....unfortunately in the battle of interpretation and coz of very less knowledge about islam it became jihad ...though at individual level it was jihad for some and rightly so.....
about pandit exodus......
you may disagree.....and you have evry right to....let me put it this way.....
pre 1987.....pandits and muslims have been living happily till 1987 ...though i dont know and have never heard but may be any small incident communal clash might have happened.....both the communities lived like brothers and like one family......pandits and muslim families were well mixed...compared to sikhs and muslims ...and in present day also sikhs and muslim families just say hi to each other and thats it....one of the reason can be aurangzeb - guru teg bahadur - guru gobind singh etc.....letme not get into that.....
coming back 2 pandit muslim....living like brothers as compared to hindu muslims in india ....but there was a typical "ranjish"or "khalish" between the two communities which had following reasons...
1.during muslim rulers ..pandits were not treated well..
2.during dogra and sikh rukers muslims were not treated well
3. kp's liking india and km's pak...
in 87-88 when ziaul haque then president of pakistan got killed ...muslims got violent .and protests started ..there were lil communal clashes as well more over these slogans became common....yaha kya chalega nizame mustafa ....jeeve jeeve pakistan...zialhaque ka kya paigaam ...kashmir banega pakistan......this was one of the most prominent turning points in both communities lives.....these slogans were their in kashmir earlier also ...but were used by only one political party of that time jamaate islami for their own political gains...and few more slogans were also there which clearly hurted pandit sentiments......
pandits started distancing themselves but pretended as if everything is fine.....coz of 2 reasons ....kashmiriyat which was still alive in both communities....and since they were in minority .....when uprising started and the culture of gun and violence started in kashmir...pandits didnt believe it actually.....they could by no means understand what was happening as their neighbours muslim's son ..tinku or pinku who was brought up in this pandith family ...who use to play with pandith children always ..who was taught by pandith teachers ....had a gun in his hand and shouting "bato rostai batniyo saan assi banao pakistan" and rest of the slogans ......
now let me come to y pandiths were targetted and not sikhs .....for following reasons
1.sikh's muslims were in just hello hi terms ...moreover sikhs were not an educated or intellectual class who cud've influenced muslims .sikhs were majorly in transport and logistics business...i'll come to logic of this next point
2. since pandiths and muslims were living in great relations ...inspite of that old muslim ruler-dogra ruler ranjish....majority of pandiths were highly educated ...very intellegent...and intellectuals.......muslims every now and then used to discuss problems with pandits ..coz of intellegent genes.......
3.pak ordered the killings of pandiths for 2 reasons .....had the militancy been started without pandiths killings and their exodus ....pandiths wud've definitely convinced muslims to give up and make their careers.....the second most important thing was if pandiths wud not have been able to convince muslims to give up movement at least pandit wud definitely convert into a much stronger political movement...coz of their intellegence and high influence over muslims society....here i forgot to mention muslims were not majorly into education.....they were happy with zamindaari...thekedaari...dukaan daari and darba daari ...haha ...but its a fact... which wud've meant cyanide for pakistan...so their first major move was to get pandit out of valley.... [here by no means i say pandit will support azaadi movement...but had there been no killing and exodus ...they'weu've definitely gone in favour of azaadi...as no other option wud ve been avialable] and pandits fled.....and this fact very less pandits & muslims of valley have realised till now.....
in 1994-95 pandiths from baramulla returned ...and were kept in district police lines baramulla....since police lines baramulla is in high security zone .....pandits started roaming freely....within this cannt area .....one after noon at around 5 P.M while a pandit was returning from a nearby market after some shopping....he was shot in leg ...a young boy of 23-24 types age ....shot him......this was the time when there was very lil militancy in valley ..as local militants were almost arrested killed or had surrendered......a militant coming in such high security zone and shooting the pandith at a point blank range that too just in front of district police lines ...which has RT brigade ...and MP check post on its right ...joint interrogation center and G camp on its left ....may be this mission was top priority.....the pandits comig back at this point might have resulted in either political m0vement or complete accession to india....
moreover after pandiths fled so many rumours were spread by agents in valley against kp's ....and the common man actually believed them.....
these rumours actually kept pandits and muslims apart for a longer period....and after long gap ...the new generation from both sides feels...it is either kp or km who is wrong and communal.....no-doubt km's were used and by hitting on kp's the actual loosers were and are km's and kp's as well
1..they lost their brothers ..
2.paradise turned into hell..
3...had pandits not fled we wud've been living happily ...with india or independent is immaterial here
this conclusion is not based on a perticular incident ..may be some of the pandits were informers or working with IB ...so were some muslims ...
Friday, August 22, 2008
MULKE -KASHMIR I
RULERS
Up to 1325: Ruled by 155 Rajas independent and sovereign 1325 to 1585: Muslim Sultans independent and sovereign (1420 to 1470) "Golden period of Kashmir history" Periods of Occupation and Struggle for Freedom
1586 to 1752: Mughal Rule
1752 to 1819: Tyrannical Afghan Rule
1819 to 1846: Colonized by Sikhs
16 March 1846: British sold Kashmir to Dogras
1846 to 1947: Dogra Rule
15 August 1947: Partition of British India Indo-Pak war to gain control over the territory of Kashmir
22 Oct.1947 : Tribal-backed Invasion of Kashmir
24 Oct. 1947: Pakistan controls one third of Kashmir - Provisional Govt. of Azad Kashmir proclaimed
27 Oct. 1947: Indian military invasion in Kashmir- two thirds of Kashmir occupied by India
Indo-Pak War: Cease-fire achieved 1 Jan, 1949
'Kashmir' denotes the whole state of Jammu & Kashmir as it existed before October 1947. Millions of years back enormous tidal waves arose from the Indian ocean and layer after layer of silt and rock deposited to make the Himalayan range of mountains. The rock formations seen today confirm this theory.
These waves brought water with them. The receding waters left infertile foothills and the shelving shores of inland sea, the lakes of Kashmir today . Kashmir was an expanse of water and the first people who ever lived had homes in water, and indeed some still do ! Islands of land surfaced in time and people migrated . Theories have been postulated to explain this evolution. A massive volcanic eruption made a crater in the mountains and drained the water. Earthquakes in Kashmir are common and the bye-products like ash from lava is present in mountains. Kashmir could have been a mighty glacier in ice-age and earthquake split open a gorge , ice melted and drained away
In Hindu mythology the big lake (Satisar) was inhabited by Nagas (Snake people) who fearing the demon (Jaladeo) pray to Kashyap (The sage). The sage goes into long penance to deliver the Nagas. Shiva (Hindu God) came down and with a hard blow created a crater in the mountains and drained the water away to surface land on which people started living. There is also a legendary story about King Solomon using ingenious canalization methods , drained the waters, using human labor. Whatever it was which created Kashmir it has since been awfully serpentine, ruefully demonic and the natives suffered gusty blows from the mighty waves of mordant politics
Jehlum river , the hydaspes formed the Eastern limit of advances for Alexandra the great of Macedonia. He left behind a gene- pool of a big continent of his army. The God King, ferocious fighter died in Babylon at 36 in 323 BC. The fair color of Kashmiri skin may be attributed to that invasion.
3rd century BC Ashoka (296-232 BC) the grandson of Chandra Gupta, the Mauryan King made Srinagar the capital of his huge empire. The Buddhists ruled up to 8th century and left their culture and monasteries, especially in Ladakh.
Huns gained control in sixth century. Mihira Kula, a Hun prince was known as cruel as death for his cruel behavior. The Ujjan empire took control in 530 AD. The Hindu king Lalitya Dityas' rule ( 724-761) marked an era of literature and learning. Kashmir as his base he led his armies deep into South India, Turkistan and Tibet. He built temples at Martand , Avantipor and Pandrethan which still remain. He set an example for Kashmir as an independent country.
King Unmattavati 939-944 AD was inauspicious. He ripped the abdomen of the pregnant women to see the fetus, plunged daggers in the hollows between the breasts of naked women. The saga of repression continued during the time of King Harisha 1089-1101 AD.
Pundit Kalhane the great poet of the 12th century wrote Rajatarangi (River of Kings). He wrote "Kashmir may be conquered by force of spiritual merit but never by force of soldiers" which, in present political climate may be worth remembering. The spate of literal tranquility was short lived , ferocious tartars ( 1300-1320AD) Zulfi Khan from Changis Khan family invaded and indulged in ruthless killing, loot and arson. He perished in a blizzard crossing the Devasar pass. Simha Deva and his associate Ram Chand ruled for a while but soon Prince Rinchen took over having killed Ram Chand and married his daughter, Kuta Rani. Rinchen converted to Islam and called himself Sultan sadru-ud-din and built the great Jama Masjid and Ziyarat for Bulbul shah who was his mentor. Rinchen died and Simbha Deva's brother Udayadeva married the widow Kuta Rani and ruled for 50 days. Shah Mir a Muslim from swat and adviser to Rinchen was waiting in the wings and took over the throne. This heralded the ' Sultan dynasty' which lasted 200 years
In 1372 Shah Hamadan arrived from central Asia with thousands of followers and spread his message of Islam. People were converted to his faith enmasse.. In the meantime Shah Mir died and the throne was inherited by Sultan Skinder in 1389 who ruled for 24 years and destroyed idols and sacred thread (500 lbs) of the converted Hindus . The fifty years rule of Zainul Abidin (Budsha) which followed is known as the golden era in the history of Kashmir He invited artists from Iran and handicrafts boomed. His rule has been remarkable in progress, prosperity and justice. His rule extended to Tibet and Punjab. He built a palace in the island called Zainlank also made by him and inscribed on the edifice 'May this edifice be as firm as the foundation of the heavens' He married into a Hindu Raja family from Jammu.. His two sons fought with each other after his death in 1470 and lost the throne to Chak family , waiting in the wings.
Yousuf Shah Chak and his wife Haba Khatoon were ruling when Akbar the Mughul Emperor beguiled him and entered Kashmir on June 5, 1586 to rule for the next 166 years. Jehangir inherited the throne and became obsessed with the beauty of Kashmir. He and his wife Nur Jehan built 777 gardens and panted Chinar trees. On his death in 1627 he uttered 'Kashmir only Kashmir'.
Shah Jehan stepped in after his father Jehangir and also built places like Chashma Shahi and his sons Murad married to a Kashmiri girl built the Island called Char Chinar. His eldest son dara Shikoh built Pari Mahal and Greystone mask still standing today. It was Aurangzeb who got the throne having beheaded Dara. In 1664 Dec Aurangzeb set off from Delhi for Kashmir , accompanied by his sister Roshan Ara. 100,000 horsemen, camels, elephants and cattle. He lost most of his livestock in the mountains. The Mughal era came to an end with the ferocious invasion of Persian leader Nadir Shah in 1739. He took the peacock throne and Kohinoor and left the Mughals in disarray
It was the Afghans who saw an opportunity and invaded Kashmir. Ahmad Shah Abdali ruled in a ruthless manner, he ordered public executions and people drowned in the Jehlem river. Afghans built Amira Kadal, Hari Parbat forte. One ruler 18 year old Azad Khan plundered , killed and raped like a lunatic. He slit the stomach of his doctor for not curing his eye ailment. Abdali died in Kabul in 1818 , the sons fought and lost Kashmir to Sikhs. It was like coming out of the frying pan into the fire !
The Sikhs were invited by locals to get rid of the Afghans but the 27 years rule from Sikhs was a hell . People were stoned to death for killing a cow. A despotic rule which led to pestilence, destitution followed unfortunately by earthquakes and famine of 1832. Ranjit Singh the ruler never visited Kashmir but wanted , taxes, shawls and women. Gulab Singh a dogra commander won his favor by fighting the British. He was awarded Jammu as Jagir
It was Gulab Singh who conquered Ladakh and Dardistan in 1840. Poonch remained with his brother Dyan Singh. Gulab Singh betrayed his old master and helped the British to defeat Ranjit Singh. British demanded a heavy fine to relinquish Kashmir. Gulab Singh offered to pay and Kashmir was sold to him for Rs 75,000, one horse , 12 goats and three shawls. One shawl and 100 goats also to be given every year otherwise Kashmir would revert back to the British.. This became the famous Treaty of Amritsar.
Gulab Sigh consolidated power and Dogra rule of a complete century was heralded. 1857 Rambir Singh took over and helped British retake Delhi after a mutiny. His repressive rule lasted for 28 years and was succeeded by Major General Partap Singh. Partap Singh was dominated by British and he allowed a resident and a revenue commissioner Walter Lawrence was installed. This was a great relief for Kashmiris, because inhuman laws like 'Beggar' or forced free labor and execution for cow slaughter was abolished. In 1889 the British took over direct rule for sixteen years , giving a breathing time of relief for Kashmiris from repressive Dogra rule. Soon enough Maharaja was reinstalled in 1905 and saga of autocratic despotic rule continued. Hari Singh was the nephew ( Partap Sigh had no son) born and educated in Paris. He became the westernized Maharaja of Kashmir. Polo. golf, house -boats and trout fishing became the norm in Kashmir. British missionaries like Arthur Neve, Cecil Tyndale Biscoe, Miss Mellinson became the pioneers of development and education in Kashmir.
Srinagar Silk Weaving factory strike in 1924 when Said-ud-din Shawl and Noor Shah Naqshbandi were expelled was an important landmark for the political renascence of Kashmir. They submitted a petition to Lord Reading the viceroy of India with their grievances . On 13 July 1931 nine people were gunned down in front of central jail who were protesting against a Jammu policeman desecrating Quran. This became the 'Martyrs Day' A school teacher Shiekh Abdulla formed the 'Muslim Conference' which he later converted to National Conference to include the non-muslims in the party. Several thousand people got killed by Dogra army. The British set up the Glancy commission to investigate. Maharaja caved in and passed the constituent assembly act. Now 35 out of 70 seats would be elected. Muslim conference still active in Jammu under Choudry Abbas got 14 seats. The 'Quit Kashmir' movement launched by Abdulla took off like wild fire. Repression intensified. "Srinagar has been transformed into a graveyard" stated Nehru " I must go there" He was greeted with black flags by Pandits and arrested.
1947 sorting partition of India out Lord Mountbatten called a meeting of the party leaders on June 13, 47. Mr. Nehru said that no state can claim independence, but Mr. Jinnah said 'that constitutionally and legally the Indian states will be independent sovereign states on the termination of paramountcy and they will be free to decide for themselves to adopt any course they like. They can decide to remain independent. In the later case they enter into agreements and relationships, such as economic or commercial, with Hindustan or Pakistan as they may choose'
Maharaja and his Prime Minister Ram Chand Kak wanted independent Kashmir. A stand still agreement was signed with India and Pakistan. A trade agreement with Pakistan meant oil, salt could be imported and communication link kept open. Sudhans in Poonch revolted and got slaughtered by state forces. On 22 October Tribals from Waziristan invaded plunging Kashmir in darkness. They were only a few miles from capturing the capital city when Maharaja fleeing for life allegedly accepted provisional accession to India, in return for safety of his life. Indian army was flown in on 27th October and a war ensued between india and Pakistan. This resulted in partition of the state and 50 years on it still remains split and divided. The accession document signed by Lord Mountbatten states that the accession is probationary and subject to a plebiscite confirming his action. It is this plebiscite that people were promised that has now caused over 85,000 deaths of Kashmiris.
United Nations got involved. Jan, 24, 1948 Mr. Warren Austen of USA suggested an interim government followed by a plebiscite. Jan 1951 Australian PM , Mr. R G Menzies proposed stationing commonwealth troops or Indo Pakistan joint force or raise a local army in Kashmir It was rejected by India. United Nations or two deadly wars did not alter the status defacto position of Kashmir dispute nor did the Nehru-Abdulla agreement of July 24, 1952 Abdulla , the serving prime minister was arrested and jailed. The reasons for this action are elaborated ( 15 points )
September,4 ,1965 UN resolution stopped the Indo-Pakistani war, culminated in the Tashkent Declaration of Jan, 10, 1966. POW's were exchanged , but Kashmir was left simmering in the smoldering fire. One more Indo-Pakistani war erupted, this time in East Pakistan and culminated in the Simla agreement of July ,3,1972. Again after exchange of POW's Kashmir was left to be discussed later , in order to arrive at an amicable solution
As time passed people eg Shastri, Ayub Khan , Nehru, Abdulla passed away; Even Mountbatten , who would have been an important witness was blown up by the IRA in Ireland.
Up to 1325: Ruled by 155 Rajas independent and sovereign 1325 to 1585: Muslim Sultans independent and sovereign (1420 to 1470) "Golden period of Kashmir history" Periods of Occupation and Struggle for Freedom
1586 to 1752: Mughal Rule
1752 to 1819: Tyrannical Afghan Rule
1819 to 1846: Colonized by Sikhs
16 March 1846: British sold Kashmir to Dogras
1846 to 1947: Dogra Rule
15 August 1947: Partition of British India Indo-Pak war to gain control over the territory of Kashmir
22 Oct.1947 : Tribal-backed Invasion of Kashmir
24 Oct. 1947: Pakistan controls one third of Kashmir - Provisional Govt. of Azad Kashmir proclaimed
27 Oct. 1947: Indian military invasion in Kashmir- two thirds of Kashmir occupied by India
Indo-Pak War: Cease-fire achieved 1 Jan, 1949
'Kashmir' denotes the whole state of Jammu & Kashmir as it existed before October 1947. Millions of years back enormous tidal waves arose from the Indian ocean and layer after layer of silt and rock deposited to make the Himalayan range of mountains. The rock formations seen today confirm this theory.
These waves brought water with them. The receding waters left infertile foothills and the shelving shores of inland sea, the lakes of Kashmir today . Kashmir was an expanse of water and the first people who ever lived had homes in water, and indeed some still do ! Islands of land surfaced in time and people migrated . Theories have been postulated to explain this evolution. A massive volcanic eruption made a crater in the mountains and drained the water. Earthquakes in Kashmir are common and the bye-products like ash from lava is present in mountains. Kashmir could have been a mighty glacier in ice-age and earthquake split open a gorge , ice melted and drained away
In Hindu mythology the big lake (Satisar) was inhabited by Nagas (Snake people) who fearing the demon (Jaladeo) pray to Kashyap (The sage). The sage goes into long penance to deliver the Nagas. Shiva (Hindu God) came down and with a hard blow created a crater in the mountains and drained the water away to surface land on which people started living. There is also a legendary story about King Solomon using ingenious canalization methods , drained the waters, using human labor. Whatever it was which created Kashmir it has since been awfully serpentine, ruefully demonic and the natives suffered gusty blows from the mighty waves of mordant politics
Jehlum river , the hydaspes formed the Eastern limit of advances for Alexandra the great of Macedonia. He left behind a gene- pool of a big continent of his army. The God King, ferocious fighter died in Babylon at 36 in 323 BC. The fair color of Kashmiri skin may be attributed to that invasion.
3rd century BC Ashoka (296-232 BC) the grandson of Chandra Gupta, the Mauryan King made Srinagar the capital of his huge empire. The Buddhists ruled up to 8th century and left their culture and monasteries, especially in Ladakh.
Huns gained control in sixth century. Mihira Kula, a Hun prince was known as cruel as death for his cruel behavior. The Ujjan empire took control in 530 AD. The Hindu king Lalitya Dityas' rule ( 724-761) marked an era of literature and learning. Kashmir as his base he led his armies deep into South India, Turkistan and Tibet. He built temples at Martand , Avantipor and Pandrethan which still remain. He set an example for Kashmir as an independent country.
King Unmattavati 939-944 AD was inauspicious. He ripped the abdomen of the pregnant women to see the fetus, plunged daggers in the hollows between the breasts of naked women. The saga of repression continued during the time of King Harisha 1089-1101 AD.
Pundit Kalhane the great poet of the 12th century wrote Rajatarangi (River of Kings). He wrote "Kashmir may be conquered by force of spiritual merit but never by force of soldiers" which, in present political climate may be worth remembering. The spate of literal tranquility was short lived , ferocious tartars ( 1300-1320AD) Zulfi Khan from Changis Khan family invaded and indulged in ruthless killing, loot and arson. He perished in a blizzard crossing the Devasar pass. Simha Deva and his associate Ram Chand ruled for a while but soon Prince Rinchen took over having killed Ram Chand and married his daughter, Kuta Rani. Rinchen converted to Islam and called himself Sultan sadru-ud-din and built the great Jama Masjid and Ziyarat for Bulbul shah who was his mentor. Rinchen died and Simbha Deva's brother Udayadeva married the widow Kuta Rani and ruled for 50 days. Shah Mir a Muslim from swat and adviser to Rinchen was waiting in the wings and took over the throne. This heralded the ' Sultan dynasty' which lasted 200 years
In 1372 Shah Hamadan arrived from central Asia with thousands of followers and spread his message of Islam. People were converted to his faith enmasse.. In the meantime Shah Mir died and the throne was inherited by Sultan Skinder in 1389 who ruled for 24 years and destroyed idols and sacred thread (500 lbs) of the converted Hindus . The fifty years rule of Zainul Abidin (Budsha) which followed is known as the golden era in the history of Kashmir He invited artists from Iran and handicrafts boomed. His rule has been remarkable in progress, prosperity and justice. His rule extended to Tibet and Punjab. He built a palace in the island called Zainlank also made by him and inscribed on the edifice 'May this edifice be as firm as the foundation of the heavens' He married into a Hindu Raja family from Jammu.. His two sons fought with each other after his death in 1470 and lost the throne to Chak family , waiting in the wings.
Yousuf Shah Chak and his wife Haba Khatoon were ruling when Akbar the Mughul Emperor beguiled him and entered Kashmir on June 5, 1586 to rule for the next 166 years. Jehangir inherited the throne and became obsessed with the beauty of Kashmir. He and his wife Nur Jehan built 777 gardens and panted Chinar trees. On his death in 1627 he uttered 'Kashmir only Kashmir'.
Shah Jehan stepped in after his father Jehangir and also built places like Chashma Shahi and his sons Murad married to a Kashmiri girl built the Island called Char Chinar. His eldest son dara Shikoh built Pari Mahal and Greystone mask still standing today. It was Aurangzeb who got the throne having beheaded Dara. In 1664 Dec Aurangzeb set off from Delhi for Kashmir , accompanied by his sister Roshan Ara. 100,000 horsemen, camels, elephants and cattle. He lost most of his livestock in the mountains. The Mughal era came to an end with the ferocious invasion of Persian leader Nadir Shah in 1739. He took the peacock throne and Kohinoor and left the Mughals in disarray
It was the Afghans who saw an opportunity and invaded Kashmir. Ahmad Shah Abdali ruled in a ruthless manner, he ordered public executions and people drowned in the Jehlem river. Afghans built Amira Kadal, Hari Parbat forte. One ruler 18 year old Azad Khan plundered , killed and raped like a lunatic. He slit the stomach of his doctor for not curing his eye ailment. Abdali died in Kabul in 1818 , the sons fought and lost Kashmir to Sikhs. It was like coming out of the frying pan into the fire !
The Sikhs were invited by locals to get rid of the Afghans but the 27 years rule from Sikhs was a hell . People were stoned to death for killing a cow. A despotic rule which led to pestilence, destitution followed unfortunately by earthquakes and famine of 1832. Ranjit Singh the ruler never visited Kashmir but wanted , taxes, shawls and women. Gulab Singh a dogra commander won his favor by fighting the British. He was awarded Jammu as Jagir
It was Gulab Singh who conquered Ladakh and Dardistan in 1840. Poonch remained with his brother Dyan Singh. Gulab Singh betrayed his old master and helped the British to defeat Ranjit Singh. British demanded a heavy fine to relinquish Kashmir. Gulab Singh offered to pay and Kashmir was sold to him for Rs 75,000, one horse , 12 goats and three shawls. One shawl and 100 goats also to be given every year otherwise Kashmir would revert back to the British.. This became the famous Treaty of Amritsar.
Gulab Sigh consolidated power and Dogra rule of a complete century was heralded. 1857 Rambir Singh took over and helped British retake Delhi after a mutiny. His repressive rule lasted for 28 years and was succeeded by Major General Partap Singh. Partap Singh was dominated by British and he allowed a resident and a revenue commissioner Walter Lawrence was installed. This was a great relief for Kashmiris, because inhuman laws like 'Beggar' or forced free labor and execution for cow slaughter was abolished. In 1889 the British took over direct rule for sixteen years , giving a breathing time of relief for Kashmiris from repressive Dogra rule. Soon enough Maharaja was reinstalled in 1905 and saga of autocratic despotic rule continued. Hari Singh was the nephew ( Partap Sigh had no son) born and educated in Paris. He became the westernized Maharaja of Kashmir. Polo. golf, house -boats and trout fishing became the norm in Kashmir. British missionaries like Arthur Neve, Cecil Tyndale Biscoe, Miss Mellinson became the pioneers of development and education in Kashmir.
Srinagar Silk Weaving factory strike in 1924 when Said-ud-din Shawl and Noor Shah Naqshbandi were expelled was an important landmark for the political renascence of Kashmir. They submitted a petition to Lord Reading the viceroy of India with their grievances . On 13 July 1931 nine people were gunned down in front of central jail who were protesting against a Jammu policeman desecrating Quran. This became the 'Martyrs Day' A school teacher Shiekh Abdulla formed the 'Muslim Conference' which he later converted to National Conference to include the non-muslims in the party. Several thousand people got killed by Dogra army. The British set up the Glancy commission to investigate. Maharaja caved in and passed the constituent assembly act. Now 35 out of 70 seats would be elected. Muslim conference still active in Jammu under Choudry Abbas got 14 seats. The 'Quit Kashmir' movement launched by Abdulla took off like wild fire. Repression intensified. "Srinagar has been transformed into a graveyard" stated Nehru " I must go there" He was greeted with black flags by Pandits and arrested.
1947 sorting partition of India out Lord Mountbatten called a meeting of the party leaders on June 13, 47. Mr. Nehru said that no state can claim independence, but Mr. Jinnah said 'that constitutionally and legally the Indian states will be independent sovereign states on the termination of paramountcy and they will be free to decide for themselves to adopt any course they like. They can decide to remain independent. In the later case they enter into agreements and relationships, such as economic or commercial, with Hindustan or Pakistan as they may choose'
Maharaja and his Prime Minister Ram Chand Kak wanted independent Kashmir. A stand still agreement was signed with India and Pakistan. A trade agreement with Pakistan meant oil, salt could be imported and communication link kept open. Sudhans in Poonch revolted and got slaughtered by state forces. On 22 October Tribals from Waziristan invaded plunging Kashmir in darkness. They were only a few miles from capturing the capital city when Maharaja fleeing for life allegedly accepted provisional accession to India, in return for safety of his life. Indian army was flown in on 27th October and a war ensued between india and Pakistan. This resulted in partition of the state and 50 years on it still remains split and divided. The accession document signed by Lord Mountbatten states that the accession is probationary and subject to a plebiscite confirming his action. It is this plebiscite that people were promised that has now caused over 85,000 deaths of Kashmiris.
United Nations got involved. Jan, 24, 1948 Mr. Warren Austen of USA suggested an interim government followed by a plebiscite. Jan 1951 Australian PM , Mr. R G Menzies proposed stationing commonwealth troops or Indo Pakistan joint force or raise a local army in Kashmir It was rejected by India. United Nations or two deadly wars did not alter the status defacto position of Kashmir dispute nor did the Nehru-Abdulla agreement of July 24, 1952 Abdulla , the serving prime minister was arrested and jailed. The reasons for this action are elaborated ( 15 points )
September,4 ,1965 UN resolution stopped the Indo-Pakistani war, culminated in the Tashkent Declaration of Jan, 10, 1966. POW's were exchanged , but Kashmir was left simmering in the smoldering fire. One more Indo-Pakistani war erupted, this time in East Pakistan and culminated in the Simla agreement of July ,3,1972. Again after exchange of POW's Kashmir was left to be discussed later , in order to arrive at an amicable solution
As time passed people eg Shastri, Ayub Khan , Nehru, Abdulla passed away; Even Mountbatten , who would have been an important witness was blown up by the IRA in Ireland.
MULKE-KASHMIR
KASHMIR “HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE”
A Theme
Geography
The State of Jammu and Kashmir, as it featured on the 15th August 1947 has an area of 222,880 square kilometers. It is mostly a mountaneous region. Situated as it in the heart of Asia, the State has common frontiers with China on the north and north-east, with Afghanistan of the north-west and with Pakistan and India on the western and southern sides. The State’s border with Pakistan is about 900 kilometers long. A tongue-shaped projection of Afghan territory called Wakhan separates the Jammu and Kashmir States from the Russia. The location of the State confers immense strategic importance on this land.
EARLY HISTORY
Kashmir can claim the distinction of being the only region in the subcontinent of India which possesses an uninterrupted series of written records of its history. These chronicles testify to the continued existence, among the population of the Valley, of a genuine historical sense. Kalhana, poet-historian of Kashmir wrote his Rajtarangni 200 years before Chaucer and more than 400 years before Shakespare. It narrates in Sanskrit verse the history of the various dynasties which ruled Kashmir from the earliest period down to the time of the author who began to write this work in 1148 AD.
Kalhana’s work was continued by Jonaraja whose narrative covers the troubled times of the last Hindu dynasties of Kashmir and also the first Muslim rulers to the time of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, who ascended the throne in 1420 AD.
The legend tells us that the Valley of Kashmir was filled by lake in which lived a horrible amphibious demon which terrorised the whole area until the Hindu god Vishnu came to the rescue of people. Vishnu struck the mountains near the town of Baramulla, with his trident, the rocks cracked open and the lake waters rushed out. The demon was subsequently crushed to death under the Hariparbat hill. The inhabitants of the valley, the legands tell us, were at last able to live in peace.
EARLY INHABITTANTS
From explorations done so far, traces of neolithic settlements have been observed at a number of places. Besides, Burzhama about 6 kilometers from Srinagar, has yielded remains of a flourishing neolitic life. The earliest date ascribed to Burzhama is 2400 B.C. The identity of people of this period is still wrapped in speculations. But these neolitic people are, from the archealogical evidences so far worked out, the earliest known inhabitants of Kashmir Valley.
Kalhana’s narrative reveals that the Nagas were the aborigines of the Valley They were tribal people devoted to agriculture. They were worshippers of serpant-dieties. The snake-cult seems to have been established in Valley from a remote people and undoubtedly has been one of the earliest religions of the land. A large number of temples built near some of the famous springs (Nags) of the Valley clearly manifest the popularity of the serpant-dieties in ancient Kashmir. The snake-cult prevalent in the Valley throughout the Hindu rule. Abul Fazl a courtier of the Mughal Emperor Akbar who visited Kashmir at the end of the 16th century records that there were 700 places in the Valley bearing carved images of snakes which the inhabitants worshipped. Even now, names of places like, Nilnag, Verinag, Anantnag and Sernag show traces of ancient Naga beliefs which continue to be venerated to this day.
Entry of the Aryans into the Valley, nearly 3000 years ago. Aryans whi infiltrated into Kashmir from Gilgit and Chitral are identified as Pisacas, the ancestors of the Dard-speaking tribes. Nilmathpuran, thr 7th Century literary product of the Valley testifies that Pisacas followed the Nagas as dwellers of ancient Kashmir. The great majority of present day Kashmiris, consists of the descendants of Dard-speaking people, who have been able to preserve their racial purity to a considerable extent inspite of many foreign incursions and invasions.
According to Kalhana, there ruled in Kashmir, in the earliest times, fifty two kings. The names of only four kings are preserved in the chronicles. The first recorded king of Kashmir is Gonanda-I. He was followed by his son Damodra-I, Yasowati Damodara’s wife and the latter’s son Gonanda-II. Another thirty five kings followed Gonanda-II whose names and deeds, according to Kalhana, perished through the destruction of records. However the famous 19th century Kashmiri Historian Hassan has reconstructed the names and duration of reign of these 35 Kings. The ever-green romance of Heemal and Nagrai is a contribution of Nagas to our literary Culture. They are believed to have lived during the reign of these kings.
The nest lot of Kings recorded by Kalhana are : Lava, Kusa, Khangendra, Surendra, Godhara, Survarna, Janaka and Sacinara.
The first known historical name, to appear in the Rajtarangni is Ashoka, the great Mauriyan King whose empire extended from Hindukush in the west to Bangal in the east and down Mysore in the south. Ashoka built the first city of Srinagar at Pandrethan in 250 BC. Chander Gupta Mauriya, Ashoka’s grandfather has included Kashmir in his Empire. At this juncture, the revolutionery message of the Scythian prince, the great Buddha, was ushered into Kashmir. “All human beings are equal and salvation is equally open to all”. Ashoka sent Majjhantika, a missionary from Varanasi, alongwith 10,000 Buddhist monks to disseminate the democratic and egalitarian message of the Buddhist creed in Kashmir.
In the history of Buddhism, Kashmir has an eminent place. Buddhism continued to flourish and the creed enjoyed popularity in the Valley for nearly 900 years. Ashoka was succeeded by Jaluka. He was a Shaivite and settled many Brahamans, of the Indo-gangetic plain, in Kashmir. Damodara-II, another supporter of Shaivism took over from Jaluka and founded his capital of the Damodhar Udar, which is the site of the present Srinagar airport.
The downfall of Mauryans, after Ashoka’s death, was followed by the domination of Bactrain Greeks in Kashmir. The Bactrain Greeks enjoyed suzerain power over Southern Kashmir for about 200 years and left impress of their role on Kashmir’s architecture. Demetrius was their famous rules in Kashmir.
Next horde of invaders into Kashmir were the Scythians, the Turki nomads, who were pushed out from their homes in Central Asia by the most powerful tribe of Kushans. Kanshika was the greatest among the Kushan Kinds. The Kushan empire, which included Kashmir, extended from Khotan and Kashgar in the north, boders of Persia and Parthia in the west and to Benaras in the east and the Vindhya mountains in the south. The empire lasted for 300 years, with Peshawar as a Capital. Kashika founded the town of Kanispur in the neighbourhood of Baramulla and erected number of monasteries and monuments in Kashmir.
White Huns, originally nomads from Sinkiang, invaded India succesfully towards the end of 5th century A.D.They established their empire in Afghanistan and western India. Mihirakula, a natorious Hun King and a unmitigated savage succeeded in 510 AD and established Sialkot as his capital. He has been described as a scourge of God on earth who killed thousands of peopl without any remorse. His revolting acts of cruelity became so abhorrent that the kings of Maghada and of Central India inflicted a decisive defeat on him. Instead of killing him, the kind victors exiled him, along with his supporters to Kashmir. The local king received him kindly and offered the fugutives a small territory. Mihirkula repaid the kings kindness by treacherously seizing his throne in 528 AD. The deposed was executed. Then issuing from Kashmir, Mihirkula conquered Afghanistan and north-east India. He drowned multitudes of people into the river Indus. He committed suicide in 550 AD.
Lalitadatiya (724-760 AD) was the greatest king of the Karkota dynasty who lifted his country to the pinnacle of fame. When Lalitadatya was marching, he was building and it is for the great temple at Martand that he is remembered the most. The temple was built on the pleateau above the present day town of Mattan, nearly 65 kilometers from Srinagar.
Lalitadatya built his capital on an aluvial plateau at Parihaspora, 25 kilometers north-west of Srinagar, in the vicinity of Shadipore. Lalitadatya is also remembered for his qualities as a chmpion of justice, able administrator, promoter of literary and creative activities and for his patronage of arts.
Junaid, who had succeeded the famous Arab commander Muhammad Bin Qasim, as governor of Sindh, attempted an invasion of Kashmir in 733 AD but was effectively repulsed by Lalitadatya. Lalitadatya’s successors repulsed another Arab invasion from Sindh led by Hisham-al-Taghilibi in 770 AD. It may be mentioned here that a Muslim colony had already developed in the Malchamar area of Alikadal, Srinagar.
The 11th cenury witnessed 17 Turkish invasions, led by Mahmud Ghazni, upon Hindu kingdoms of northern India. Mahmud had included Kashmir in the scheme of his Indian campaigns with a view to punishing Samgramaraja who was related to and an ally of Shahi dynasty of Kabul. No part of India remained unconquered except Kashmir and Mahmud resolved on an expedition to that country.
Mahmud invated Kashmir twice through Poonch in order to penetrate into valley via the Tosamaidan pass. His progress was checked at the Poonch fort and he returned unsuccessful in the first attempt. He invated Kashmir for the second time in 1021 AD. Man and nature conspired against the invader and the heavy snowfall forced Mahmud to finally abandon his Kashmir adventure.
SULTANS OF KASHMIR
After Raja Dahir of Sindh was defeated by the Arabs, his son Jaisiya took refuge in Kashmir. He was accompained by a Syrian Muslim named Hamim who is said to be the first Muslim who set his feet on the soil of Kashmir. King Vajraditya (754-761 AD) gave Hamim and his co-religionists a colony to settle in. This was called Malchamar. To this day, this colony in the Alikadal area of Srinagar in known by the same name.
Bulbulshah from Turkistan was the first Sufi to enter Kashmir during the reign of Suhadeva (1301-1320). The most important convert made by Bulbulshah was Kind Rinchan who was Bddhist at the time of his accession to the throne in 1320. The royal patronage which Islam secured through Rinchan’s conversion, as many as 10,000 non-muslims embraced the cred of Bulbulshah without any demur. Kashmir thus witnessed a revolution, albeit peaceful and imperceptible, which was further augumented by the arrival of a host of sufis in the reign of Shahmir dynasty.
Rinchan was the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir (1320-1323) under the name of Sadr-ud-Din
.......... and the rulers kept on changing...........
A Theme
Geography
The State of Jammu and Kashmir, as it featured on the 15th August 1947 has an area of 222,880 square kilometers. It is mostly a mountaneous region. Situated as it in the heart of Asia, the State has common frontiers with China on the north and north-east, with Afghanistan of the north-west and with Pakistan and India on the western and southern sides. The State’s border with Pakistan is about 900 kilometers long. A tongue-shaped projection of Afghan territory called Wakhan separates the Jammu and Kashmir States from the Russia. The location of the State confers immense strategic importance on this land.
EARLY HISTORY
Kashmir can claim the distinction of being the only region in the subcontinent of India which possesses an uninterrupted series of written records of its history. These chronicles testify to the continued existence, among the population of the Valley, of a genuine historical sense. Kalhana, poet-historian of Kashmir wrote his Rajtarangni 200 years before Chaucer and more than 400 years before Shakespare. It narrates in Sanskrit verse the history of the various dynasties which ruled Kashmir from the earliest period down to the time of the author who began to write this work in 1148 AD.
Kalhana’s work was continued by Jonaraja whose narrative covers the troubled times of the last Hindu dynasties of Kashmir and also the first Muslim rulers to the time of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, who ascended the throne in 1420 AD.
The legend tells us that the Valley of Kashmir was filled by lake in which lived a horrible amphibious demon which terrorised the whole area until the Hindu god Vishnu came to the rescue of people. Vishnu struck the mountains near the town of Baramulla, with his trident, the rocks cracked open and the lake waters rushed out. The demon was subsequently crushed to death under the Hariparbat hill. The inhabitants of the valley, the legands tell us, were at last able to live in peace.
EARLY INHABITTANTS
From explorations done so far, traces of neolithic settlements have been observed at a number of places. Besides, Burzhama about 6 kilometers from Srinagar, has yielded remains of a flourishing neolitic life. The earliest date ascribed to Burzhama is 2400 B.C. The identity of people of this period is still wrapped in speculations. But these neolitic people are, from the archealogical evidences so far worked out, the earliest known inhabitants of Kashmir Valley.
Kalhana’s narrative reveals that the Nagas were the aborigines of the Valley They were tribal people devoted to agriculture. They were worshippers of serpant-dieties. The snake-cult seems to have been established in Valley from a remote people and undoubtedly has been one of the earliest religions of the land. A large number of temples built near some of the famous springs (Nags) of the Valley clearly manifest the popularity of the serpant-dieties in ancient Kashmir. The snake-cult prevalent in the Valley throughout the Hindu rule. Abul Fazl a courtier of the Mughal Emperor Akbar who visited Kashmir at the end of the 16th century records that there were 700 places in the Valley bearing carved images of snakes which the inhabitants worshipped. Even now, names of places like, Nilnag, Verinag, Anantnag and Sernag show traces of ancient Naga beliefs which continue to be venerated to this day.
Entry of the Aryans into the Valley, nearly 3000 years ago. Aryans whi infiltrated into Kashmir from Gilgit and Chitral are identified as Pisacas, the ancestors of the Dard-speaking tribes. Nilmathpuran, thr 7th Century literary product of the Valley testifies that Pisacas followed the Nagas as dwellers of ancient Kashmir. The great majority of present day Kashmiris, consists of the descendants of Dard-speaking people, who have been able to preserve their racial purity to a considerable extent inspite of many foreign incursions and invasions.
According to Kalhana, there ruled in Kashmir, in the earliest times, fifty two kings. The names of only four kings are preserved in the chronicles. The first recorded king of Kashmir is Gonanda-I. He was followed by his son Damodra-I, Yasowati Damodara’s wife and the latter’s son Gonanda-II. Another thirty five kings followed Gonanda-II whose names and deeds, according to Kalhana, perished through the destruction of records. However the famous 19th century Kashmiri Historian Hassan has reconstructed the names and duration of reign of these 35 Kings. The ever-green romance of Heemal and Nagrai is a contribution of Nagas to our literary Culture. They are believed to have lived during the reign of these kings.
The nest lot of Kings recorded by Kalhana are : Lava, Kusa, Khangendra, Surendra, Godhara, Survarna, Janaka and Sacinara.
The first known historical name, to appear in the Rajtarangni is Ashoka, the great Mauriyan King whose empire extended from Hindukush in the west to Bangal in the east and down Mysore in the south. Ashoka built the first city of Srinagar at Pandrethan in 250 BC. Chander Gupta Mauriya, Ashoka’s grandfather has included Kashmir in his Empire. At this juncture, the revolutionery message of the Scythian prince, the great Buddha, was ushered into Kashmir. “All human beings are equal and salvation is equally open to all”. Ashoka sent Majjhantika, a missionary from Varanasi, alongwith 10,000 Buddhist monks to disseminate the democratic and egalitarian message of the Buddhist creed in Kashmir.
In the history of Buddhism, Kashmir has an eminent place. Buddhism continued to flourish and the creed enjoyed popularity in the Valley for nearly 900 years. Ashoka was succeeded by Jaluka. He was a Shaivite and settled many Brahamans, of the Indo-gangetic plain, in Kashmir. Damodara-II, another supporter of Shaivism took over from Jaluka and founded his capital of the Damodhar Udar, which is the site of the present Srinagar airport.
The downfall of Mauryans, after Ashoka’s death, was followed by the domination of Bactrain Greeks in Kashmir. The Bactrain Greeks enjoyed suzerain power over Southern Kashmir for about 200 years and left impress of their role on Kashmir’s architecture. Demetrius was their famous rules in Kashmir.
Next horde of invaders into Kashmir were the Scythians, the Turki nomads, who were pushed out from their homes in Central Asia by the most powerful tribe of Kushans. Kanshika was the greatest among the Kushan Kinds. The Kushan empire, which included Kashmir, extended from Khotan and Kashgar in the north, boders of Persia and Parthia in the west and to Benaras in the east and the Vindhya mountains in the south. The empire lasted for 300 years, with Peshawar as a Capital. Kashika founded the town of Kanispur in the neighbourhood of Baramulla and erected number of monasteries and monuments in Kashmir.
White Huns, originally nomads from Sinkiang, invaded India succesfully towards the end of 5th century A.D.They established their empire in Afghanistan and western India. Mihirakula, a natorious Hun King and a unmitigated savage succeeded in 510 AD and established Sialkot as his capital. He has been described as a scourge of God on earth who killed thousands of peopl without any remorse. His revolting acts of cruelity became so abhorrent that the kings of Maghada and of Central India inflicted a decisive defeat on him. Instead of killing him, the kind victors exiled him, along with his supporters to Kashmir. The local king received him kindly and offered the fugutives a small territory. Mihirkula repaid the kings kindness by treacherously seizing his throne in 528 AD. The deposed was executed. Then issuing from Kashmir, Mihirkula conquered Afghanistan and north-east India. He drowned multitudes of people into the river Indus. He committed suicide in 550 AD.
Lalitadatiya (724-760 AD) was the greatest king of the Karkota dynasty who lifted his country to the pinnacle of fame. When Lalitadatya was marching, he was building and it is for the great temple at Martand that he is remembered the most. The temple was built on the pleateau above the present day town of Mattan, nearly 65 kilometers from Srinagar.
Lalitadatya built his capital on an aluvial plateau at Parihaspora, 25 kilometers north-west of Srinagar, in the vicinity of Shadipore. Lalitadatya is also remembered for his qualities as a chmpion of justice, able administrator, promoter of literary and creative activities and for his patronage of arts.
Junaid, who had succeeded the famous Arab commander Muhammad Bin Qasim, as governor of Sindh, attempted an invasion of Kashmir in 733 AD but was effectively repulsed by Lalitadatya. Lalitadatya’s successors repulsed another Arab invasion from Sindh led by Hisham-al-Taghilibi in 770 AD. It may be mentioned here that a Muslim colony had already developed in the Malchamar area of Alikadal, Srinagar.
The 11th cenury witnessed 17 Turkish invasions, led by Mahmud Ghazni, upon Hindu kingdoms of northern India. Mahmud had included Kashmir in the scheme of his Indian campaigns with a view to punishing Samgramaraja who was related to and an ally of Shahi dynasty of Kabul. No part of India remained unconquered except Kashmir and Mahmud resolved on an expedition to that country.
Mahmud invated Kashmir twice through Poonch in order to penetrate into valley via the Tosamaidan pass. His progress was checked at the Poonch fort and he returned unsuccessful in the first attempt. He invated Kashmir for the second time in 1021 AD. Man and nature conspired against the invader and the heavy snowfall forced Mahmud to finally abandon his Kashmir adventure.
SULTANS OF KASHMIR
After Raja Dahir of Sindh was defeated by the Arabs, his son Jaisiya took refuge in Kashmir. He was accompained by a Syrian Muslim named Hamim who is said to be the first Muslim who set his feet on the soil of Kashmir. King Vajraditya (754-761 AD) gave Hamim and his co-religionists a colony to settle in. This was called Malchamar. To this day, this colony in the Alikadal area of Srinagar in known by the same name.
Bulbulshah from Turkistan was the first Sufi to enter Kashmir during the reign of Suhadeva (1301-1320). The most important convert made by Bulbulshah was Kind Rinchan who was Bddhist at the time of his accession to the throne in 1320. The royal patronage which Islam secured through Rinchan’s conversion, as many as 10,000 non-muslims embraced the cred of Bulbulshah without any demur. Kashmir thus witnessed a revolution, albeit peaceful and imperceptible, which was further augumented by the arrival of a host of sufis in the reign of Shahmir dynasty.
Rinchan was the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir (1320-1323) under the name of Sadr-ud-Din
.......... and the rulers kept on changing...........
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